Coverage of the April 2016 General Conference Saturday Afternoon Session

Contributed By Sarah Jane Weaver, Church News associate editor

2 April 2016

Saturday afternoon session of the 186th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Scott G Winterton, Deseret News.

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Church members sustained 11 new General Authority Seventies, 62 new Area Seventies, and a new Primary general presidency during the Saturday afternoon session of the Church’s 186th Annual General Conference on April 2.

“I have never taken lightly or casually the opportunity of sustaining and being guided by the Lord’s servants,“ said Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles after the sustainings.

Conference goers walk on the Church plaza between Saturday sessions of the 186th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Scott G Winterton, Deseret News.

President Thomas S. Monson leaves the afternoon session of the 186th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Kristin Murphy, Deseret News.

He continued: “We have sustained leaders today who have, by divine inspiration, been called to teach and guide us and who are calling out to us to beware of the dangers we face each day—from casual Sabbath-day observance, to threats to the family, to assaults on religious freedom, and even to disputing latter-day revelation. Brothers and sisters, are we listening to their counsel?”

President Thomas S. Monson presided over the session. President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, conducted the session, during which Elder Hugo E. Martinez, a General Authority Seventy, and Brother Tad R. Callister, Sunday School general president, offered the prayers. Music for the session was provided by a combined choir from BYU–Idaho, directed by Eda Ashby and Rebecca Lord with Bonnie Goodliffe on the organ.

Brook P. Hales read the Church’s statistical report, noting that, as of December 31, 2015, the Church had 15.6 million members, 74,079 full-time missionaries, and 3,174 stakes. Kevin R. Jergensen read the Church Auditing Department Report.

President Thomas S. Monson leaves the afternoon session of the 186th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Kristin Murphy, Deseret News.

President Thomas S. Monson leaves the afternoon session of the 186th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Kristin Murphy, Deseret News.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf and Sister Harriet Uchtdorf leave the afternoon session of the 186th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Kristin Murphy, Deseret News.

Blossoms adorn the trees on and around Temple Square during the Saturday afternoon session of the 186th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Scott G Winterton, Deseret News.

Samuel Medina and Rachel Moreno take a photo with the temple behind them during the Saturday afternoon session of the 186th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Scott G Winterton, Deseret News.

Jennie Stoddard plays with her sons Lucas and Bennett during the Saturday afternoon session of the 186th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Scott G Winterton, Deseret News.

Conference goers make their way out of the Conference Center following the Saturday afternoon session of the 186th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Scott G Winterton, Deseret News.

Olu Egunjobi takes a photo with Sophia Akinbo, Shila Tietjen, and Elizabeth Kalu after the Saturday afternoon session of the 186th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Scott G Winterton, Deseret News.

President Henry B. Eyring conducts the afternoon session of the 186th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Kristin Murphy, Deseret News.

President Thomas S. Monson arrives at the afternoon session of the 186th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Kristin Murphy, Deseret News.

A combined choir from BYU–Idaho sings during the afternoon session of the 186th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 2, 2016.

A combined choir from BYU–Idaho sings during the afternoon session of the 186th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Kristin Murphy, Deseret News.

Latter-day Saints raise their hands to give their sustaining votes during the afternoon session of the 186th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Kristin Murphy, Deseret News.

Members of the Primary general presidency—Sister Cheryl A. Esplin, first counselor; Sister Rosemary M. Wixom, president; and Sister Mary R. Durham, second counselor—raise their hands as they are released from their calling in the Primary general presidency during the afternoon session of general conference on April 2, 2016. Photo by Kristin Murphy, Deseret News.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf speaks during the afternoon session on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Kristin Murphy, Deseret News.

Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks during the afternoon session of general conference on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Kristin Murphy, Deseret News.

Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks during the afternoon session of general conference on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Kristin Murphy, Deseret News.

Elder Mervyn B. Arnold of the Seventy speaks during the afternoon session of general conference on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Kristin Murphy, Deseret News.

A combined choir from BYU–Idaho sings during the afternoon session of general conference on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Kristin Murphy, Deseret News.

Elder Jairo Mazzagardi of the Seventy speaks during the afternoon session of general conference on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Kristin Murphy, Deseret News.

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks during the afternoon session of general conference on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Kristin Murphy, Deseret News.

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks during the afternoon session of general conference on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Kristin Murphy, Deseret News.

President Henry B. Eyring and President Thomas S. Monson sustain current Church leaders during the afternoon session of general conference on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Kristin Murphy, Deseret News.

From left, Sister Bonnie H. Cordon, sustained as the second counselor in the new Primary general presidency; Sister Joy D. Jones, sustained as the new Primary general president; and Sister Jean B. Bingham, sustained as the first counselor in the new Primary general presidency, hug after the afternoon session of general conference on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Photo by Kristin Murphy, Deseret News.